# Pirates & Phillies 3D Print — Cost Analysis

> Captured cost-per-medallion based on Pirates v3.1 actual slice data and verified May 2026 filament pricing. Updated as actuals come in from print runs.

## Filament inventory (May 11, 2026)

| Color | Brand/Type | Roll status | Cost basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | Sunlu PLA+ 2.0 | 800g loaded + 1000g spare = 1800g | $15/kg avg |
| Black | Sunlu PLA+ 2.0 | ~1000g (full) | $15/kg avg |
| Yellow/Gold | Sunlu High Speed PLA | ~900g | $20/kg avg |
| Red | Sunlu PLA+ 2.0 | 1000g (full) | $15/kg avg |

Pricing verified May 11 2026 via SUNLU direct store ($11.99 sale) and Amazon (typical $14-18 PLA+ 2.0, $17.99-25 High Speed). Using $15/kg PLA+ 2.0 and $20/kg HSPLA as realistic estimates.

## Per-medallion cost — Pirates (3-color)

From Pirates v3.1 actual slice data (Bambu Studio output 2026-05-11):

| Filament | Length | Weight | Cost per medallion |
|---|---|---|---|
| White (Slot 1, layers 1-49) | 19.66m | 58.64g | $0.88 |
| Black (Slot 2, layers 50-59) | 4.33m | 12.92g | $0.19 |
| Gold (Slot 3, layers 60-70) | 4.07m | 12.13g | $0.24 |
| **Filament total** | **28.06m** | **83.69g** | **$1.31** |
| Power (~100W × 2.4h × $0.15/kWh) | — | — | $0.04 |
| **Direct cost per medallion** | — | — | **~$1.35** |

## Per-medallion cost — Phillies (2-color, estimated)

Estimates pending Phillies v3.1 file regen by print chat:

| Filament | Weight (est.) | Cost per medallion |
|---|---|---|
| White (~52% of medallion) | ~32g | $0.48 |
| Red (~48% of medallion) | ~30g | $0.45 |
| **Filament total (est.)** | **~62g** | **~$0.93** |
| Power (~100W × 1.5h) | — | $0.02 |
| **Direct cost per medallion (est.)** | — | **~$0.95** |

To be updated with Phillies v3.1 actuals once print chat regen lands.

## Total project cost (8 Pirates + 8 Phillies gift batch)

| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 8 Pirates × $1.35 direct | $10.80 |
| 8 Phillies × $0.95 direct | $7.60 |
| Chains | $0 (already printed prior) |
| **Total materials** | **~$18.40** |
| Time @ $25/hr × ~2.67h active | $66.75 |
| **Total true cost** | **~$85** |
| **Per gift (16 pieces)** | **~$5.30** |

## Filament inventory vs need

| Color | Need (8+8) | Have | Buffer |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | ~725g | 1800g | 1075g (148% buffer) |
| Black | ~103g | ~1000g | ~897g (very high) |
| Yellow | ~97g | ~900g | ~803g (very high) |
| Red | ~240g | 1000g | 760g (317% buffer) |

**Filament is not the constraint.** Time and quality are.

## Time analysis

| Configuration | Time per build | Pieces per build | Time per piece |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates single | 2h 23m | 1 | 143 min |
| Pirates cloned 3 | ~2h 50m | 3 | ~57 min |
| Phillies single | ~1h 30m | 1 | ~90 min |
| Phillies cloned 3 | ~2h 0m | 3 | ~40 min |

**60% time reduction per piece** when cloned to 3 per build.

For 8+8 gift batch with cloned builds:
- 1 Pirates single + 2 cloned Pirates builds = 8h 03m + ~2 swaps × 2 = 8.5 hours
- 1 Phillies single + 2 cloned Phillies builds = 5h 30m + 1 swap × 2 = ~5.7 hours
- **Total print time: ~14 hours**

Easily achievable across Mon-Thu print window.

## If this were a customer product

Cost-plus pricing analysis for hypothetical customer orders:

| Approach | Per Pirates | Per Phillies |
|---|---|---|
| Materials only | $1.35 | $0.95 |
| Materials + power | $1.35 | $0.95 |
| Time @ $50/hr included | $9.68 | $9.28 |
| 2x markup | $19.36 | $18.56 |
| 3x markup | $29.04 | $27.84 |
| **Realistic retail** | **$25-40** | **$25-35** |

A small-batch custom 3D printing service charging $25-40 per medallion with chain would have ~$15-25 per piece margin after materials and time, before equipment depreciation.

## Lessons captured

1. **Cloned printing is the single biggest time win** — always run 3-per-build for personal projects once workflow validated
2. **Filament is cheap; time is expensive** — even at $25/hr, time dwarfs material cost 50:1
3. **Pricing for hypothetical customer work** would target $25-40 per medallion (cost + healthy margin)
4. **Sunlu PLA+ 2.0 at SUNLU direct store ($11.99)** is current best price for restock if needed

## Status

- 2026-05-11: cost analysis baseline established with Pirates v3.1 slice actuals
- Pending: Phillies v3.1 file regen + actual slice numbers (will update Phillies section)
- Pending: Actual print run outcomes (validate estimates vs reality)